Improvement in self-lishtinq gas-b



A. BARBARIN. f SELF LIGHTING GAS BURNER.

Patented Sept. 1, 1868.

wit/massesv Quite.) 1st extent fit-t.

.ARTHUR BARBARIN, OF NEW, ORLEANSL'OUISIANA,

Letters Patent Na. 81,734, dated September 1,1868,

IMPROVEMENT IN SELF-LIGHTING GAfi-BIIENERSJ TO wHoM IT MAY ooNonnn:

Be it known that I, AitTHUR BARBARIN, of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans, andState ofL'ouisien'a, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Lighting Gas-Burners; and 'I hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the some, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

My invention consists in the employment of spongy or finely-divided platinum, (or its eq'uiv-alent,)'in con I motion-with fine platinum wire and fine platinum wire-points or ends, or their equivalent, placed above and projecting towards the jet of a gas-burner, in. any manner, so that carburetted hydrogen or other gas, in a mixed or single state, issuing from said burner, shall be forced to'strike the spongyplatinum, or its equivalent,

which, on becoming incandescon't, shall impart such a heat to it's projectinig platinum wire, and to its projecting wire points or ends, as to cause-either or both to become red hot or inflammable, and thus to determine the quick ignition of the carburetted hydrogen or other gas.

But my invention will be more clearly understood by-referring to. the annexed drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which---.-

l Ais'an elongated ring, provided with two arms, 6 and b, to support the fine platinum wire cc, upon which wire is secured the spongy platinum, d, or its equivalent, which spongy platinum, or equivalent, is provided with v fine projectingwiro points, e e, and fine projectiugplatinum wire, e e, without points.

As before stated, the obiect of the fine wireand fine-wire points, securedto or near the spongy platinum,

or other metal having the same property, is to determine the quick ignition of thecarburetted hydrogen, when ever said curbnre'tted hydrogen shall issue from the jot of a burner upon which my invention shall have been applied.

Although the ring and arms 6 and b may be constructed of metal, I prefer, in all cases, to employ some goodmon-conduotor of. buffer their construction, as in that case, when the hydrogen of the gas is brought in contact with the spongy platinum, (or its equivalent,-) to detcrmine 'its union with the oxygen of the air, which union will be to, raise said plati-n'um to' a red heat, the'whole heat will be concentrated upon the spongy platinum, points, &c., 8m, which is the main object for the quick and certain-ignitionof the gas.

Although the spongy platinum, points, &'c.,:&c., shown upon the drawings, 'are represented as being supportedby a fine platinum wire, 0 e, somewhat in theshape of an are, I desire it well undei'stood-thatl do not confine myself to any particular size or shape of this support, nor-do I confine myself to the ring A as the only means of supporting both the wire support and the spongy platinum, &c., ahove the jet of the burner, as'l may,

if I so desire it, attach the spongy platinum, points, and fine wire to' a larger vertical wire without ring,.and

wind or otherwise secure the lower end of said larger wire around the burner before adjusting the spongy platinnm, he, 8tc.-, to the jet of the burner, after which operation the platinum spon'ge', beingpropcrly adjusted to the'jetg shall have but one point'of support, instead oftwo, as shown upon the drawings.

Should I also prefer it, I may employ the same time wire a 0, upon which the spongy platinum, points, &c., or

their equivalents, are secured, to attach thes a'me to the burner, above ornear the jet thereof, this doing away with other support or supports, and instead of having the points e e and the other, fine projecting wire e' e. to project directly from the spongy platinum, or its equivalent, towards the jet of the burner, the same may be secured to and diroctly project from the 'wire support a c,"or other support, near the spongy platinum, and instesdof presenting one-surface, with points, 86s., two or more surfaces of spongy platinum, with points, &e., attached ,to the support a e, or to other supports, may be applied and presented to the jet of a burner. But

no matterihow many surfaces of the spongy platinum, points, &c., &o., are or may be employed or arranged upon a burner or burners, towards its'or their jets, and no matter of what shape or size the same may be, when applied to the burner or burners, whether temporarily or permanently, I shall always rcservc'the exclusive right to employ my said invention in any manner, and at any suitable time, for lighting gas.

' To produce a sullioient' quantity of hydrogen-gas to accomplish my purpose, I shall now describe how the same may be obtained ,and carburetted at an almost fabulous cost below that of tiie ordinary gas, which will ueverthelessgive a much more brilliant light than any common illuminating-gas now used.

An inch pipe is connected with a stenm lioiler, used in any manufnctory or at the gas-works, and thence run into the fire-furnace, passing between said boiler and the fire used to generate the steam in the boiler. As

' soon as the steam is generated and the inch pipe has becomeintcusely heated, by meansef a stop-cock the steam is allowed to pnss thro'ugh the heated pipe, which at 'onccdecomposes it, and the hydrogen gas'is freely produced. (This operation may be repeated as often as desired.)

The gas is then passed through purifiers, if desired, and, when cool, through common gasoline, or naphtha, or other cheap c'arburetted oil,'nfter which it may be passed through other purifiers, to dry it, and then carried into the gnsometcr for use.

Thus from commop water-gas a brilliant and cheap illuminating-gas is easily produced, which can at any time be lighted by means of my invention without recourse to electricity, therefore-without wires from post to post, and especially without alteration to the present mains or branch-pipes, the only necessary alteration to streot or other lamps being in the application of my invention to the'hnrners.

By the simpleapplication of a thin strip of platinum, or of platinum wire madcsomowhat in the shape of a cone, and supported by a brass frame fitting onto the burner over the flame of the pure hydrogen or watergas, the some is a't-once changed into a dazzling white light. I

. With rcgnrdtothc injury to the platinum strip, 8m, &c.', when used continually, I may safely say that it will remain uninjured for an indefinite'pcriod, especially when-used in contact with thepure hydrogen or water-gas. As to the shape of the platinum-strip, &c.,' it is not of very great iinportance, as it may be shaped to suit 'the burner and flnmc-to'whieh it is to be'applied:

I am aware that my patent, No. 59,754, secures to me the use and application of spongy platinum to ordinary gas-burners, but this is in connection with the means of projecting a'jet of hydrogen-gas upon the platinum, so that the flame of the burning hydrogen shall traverse the path of hydrocarbon-gas issuing through tho.burner, for the purpose of lighting the same. i

I am aware that my other patent, No. 64, l 88, also secures to me the direct use and application of spongy or finely-divided platinum to ordinary gas-burners, to ignite hydrogen or hydrocarbon-gas, either mixedor in a separate state, when issuing from the same burner or burners.

I am also aware that my application .for a patent now before the Patent Oflice,claims the combination of spongy or finely-divided platinum with a basket of platinum gauze, wire, ribbon, and a cylinder of magnesia, Sta, Ste. Those I do not claim herein; but after having described my invention,

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is p A gas-lighting device, consisting of spongy or finely-divided platinum, combined with'fino' projecting platinum wire andfin projecting wire-points or ends, in the manner herein specified, the said device being applied to a gas-burner, and, arranged to operate in connection therewith, substantially as shown and set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

' ARTHUR BARBARIN.

Witnesses:

InYL BARTLETT, E. Pssnson. 

